Social Studies: US Government
Pacing Guide 2015-2016
Quarter 3
Unit 1: Origins of American Government
Week
Week 19
Jan. 4-8
(5 days)
Week 20
Jan. 11 – 15
(5 days)
Standards
USG.2.1 Summarize the colonial, revolutionary, and Founding-Era experiences and events that led to the writing,
ratification, and implementation of the United States Constitution (1787) and Bill of Rights (1791).
USG.2.4 Explain the history and provide examples of foundational ideas of American government embedded in the
Founding-Era documents such as: natural rights philosophy, social contract, popular sovereignty,
constitutionalism, representative democracy, political factions, federalism, and individual rights.
USG.2.5 Identify and explain elements of the social contract and natural rights theories in United States founding-era
documents.
USG.2.7 Using primary documents compare and contrast the ideas of the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists
regarding the respective roles of state and national government on ratification of the United States
Constitution (1787–1788).
USG.2.2 Understand the concept of compromise and evaluate its application during the Constitutional Convention.
USG.2.3 Analyze and interpret central ideas on government, individual rights, and the common good in founding
documents of the United States.
Unit 2: The Structure of Government
Week
Week 21
Jan 20-22
(3 days)
Week 22
Jan. 25-29
(5 days)
Standard
USG.1.4 Compare and contrast types of government including direct democracy, monarchy, oligarchy, and
totalitarianism.
USG.1.5 Compare and contrast characteristics of limited and unlimited governments and provide historical and
contemporary examples of each type of government.
USG.1.6 Compare and contrast unitary, confederate, and federal systems of government.
USG.1.7 Define and provide examples of constitutionalism, rule of law, limited government, and popular sovereignty in
the United States Constitution and explain the relationship of these constitutional principles to the protection
of the rights of individuals.
USG.1.8 Evaluate the importance of a written constitution in establishing and maintaining the principles of rule of law
and limited government.
USG.1.9 Evaluate how the United States Constitution establishes majority rule while protecting minority rights and
balances the common good with individual liberties. (History; Individuals, Society and Culture)
USG.3.1 Analyze the United States Constitution and explain characteristics of government in the United States, which
Social Studies: US Government
Pacing Guide 2015-2016
Quarter 3
define it as a federal, presidential, constitutional and representative democracy.
USG.5.9 Use information from a variety of resources to describe and discuss current American political issues.
Week 23
Feb. 1-5
(5 days)
Week
Week 24
Feb. 8-12
(5 days)
Week 25
Feb. 16-19
(4 days)
USG.2.8 Explain the history and provide historical and contemporary examples of fundamental principles and values of
American political and civic life, including liberty, security, the common good, justice, equality, law and order, and
rights of individuals.
USG.2.6 Explain how a shared American civic identity is based on commitment to foundational ideas in Founding-Era
documents and in core documents of subsequent periods of United States history.
USG.2.3 Analyze and interpret central ideas on government, individual rights, and the common good in founding
documents of the United States.
Unit 3: Federalism
Standards
USG.3.2 Explain the constitutional principles of federalism, separation of powers, the system of checks and balances,
republican government or representative democracy, and popular sovereignty; provide examples of these
USG.3.6 Compare and contrast the enumerated, implied and denied powers in the United States Constitution and the
Indiana Constitution.
USG.3.19 Identify the historical significance of and analyze decisions by the United States Supreme Court about the
constitutional principles of separation of powers and checks and balances in such landmark cases as
Marbury v. Madison (1803), Baker v. Carr (1962), United States v. Nixon (1974), Clinton v. City of New York
(1998) and Bush v. Gore (2000).
USG.3.20 Identify the historical significance of and analyze decisions by the United States Supreme Court about the
constitutional principle of federalism in cases such as McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), Alden v. Maine (1999)
USG.3.5 Explain the section of Article IV, Section 4, of the United States Constitution which says, “The United States
shall guarantee to every State in the Union a Republican form of government.”
USG.3.3 Identify and describe provisions of the United States Constitution and the Indiana Constitution that define and
distribute powers and authority of the federal or state government.
USG.3.4 Explain the relationship between limited government and a market economy. (Economics)
USG.3.5 Explain the section of Article IV, Section 4, of the United States Constitution which says, “The United States
shall guarantee to every State in the Union a Republican form of government.”
USG.3.6 Compare and contrast the enumerated, implied and denied powers in the United States Constitution and the
Indiana Constitution.
USG.3.7 Explain the relationships among branches of the United States government and Indiana government, which
involve separation and sharing of powers as a means to limited government.
Unit 4: Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens
Social Studies: US Government
Pacing Guide 2015-2016
Quarter 3
Week
Week 26
Feb. 22-26
(5 days)
Week 27
Feb. 29-Mar. 4
(5 days)
Week 28
Mar. 7-Mar. 11
(5 days
Week 29
Mar. 14-Mar. 18
(5 days)
Standards
USG.5.2 Analyze the roles and responsibilities of citizens in Indiana and the United States.
USG.5.3 Discuss the individual’s legal obligation to obey the law, serve as a juror, and pay taxes.
USG.5.4 Identify and describe the civil and constitutional rights found in the United States Constitution and Bill of
Rights and expanded by decisions of the United States Supreme Court; analyze and evaluate landmark
cases of the United States Supreme Court concerning civil rights and liberties of individuals.
USG.5.5 Identify when it is constitutional for our government to limit the rights of individuals and explain the reasons
why the government would want to do this.
USG.5.2 Analyze the roles and responsibilities of citizens in Indiana and the United States.
USG.5.3 Discuss the individual’s legal obligation to obey the law, serve as a juror, and pay taxes.
USG.5.4 Identify and describe the civil and constitutional rights found in the United States Constitution and Bill of
Rights and expanded by decisions of the United States Supreme Court; analyze and evaluate landmark
cases of the United States Supreme Court concerning civil rights and liberties of individuals.
USG.5.5 Identify when it is constitutional for our government to limit the rights of individuals and explain the reasons
why the government would want to do this.
USG.2.8 Explain the history and provide historical and contemporary examples of fundamental principles and values of
American political and civic life, including liberty, security, the common good, justice, equality, law and order,
rights of individuals, diversity, popular sovereignty, and representative democracy. (Individuals, Society and
Culture)
USG.1.5 Compare and contrast characteristics of limited and unlimited governments and provide historical and
contemporary examples of each type of government.
USG.3.7 Explain the relationships among branches of the United States government and Indiana government, which
involve separation and sharing of powers as a means to limited government.
USG.2.8 Explain the history and provide historical and contemporary examples of fundamental principles and values of
American political and civic life, including liberty, security, the common good, justice, equality, law and order,
rights of individuals, diversity, popular sovereignty, and representative democracy. (Individuals, Society and
Culture)
USG.1.5 Compare and contrast characteristics of limited and unlimited governments and provide historical and
contemporary examples of each type of government.
USG.3.7 Explain the relationships among branches of the United States government and Indiana government, which
involve separation and sharing of powers as a means to limited government.
Social Studies: US Government
Pacing Guide 2015-2016
Quarter 3
End of the Third Nine Weeks
Spring Break March 21 – April 1